Chopped/sectioned 39 Ford coupe (update!)

[Ferbz]

Since my last post, I sprayed an initial primer coat and started the spot putty process. I'm making it look ugly so it can look pretty! I dislike this part of the bodywork process but I'll get through it ....!  I still have to glue and fine tune the already sectioned hood making sure it lines up with the body/fenders. Stay tuned...

[carnut]

Oh man this looks cool, I like the old school approach that you are going with this. Can't wait to see what suspension and engine your going to go with. Keep it going.?

[DumpyDan]

gonna be a tail dragger

[misterNNL]

Looks like a very ambitious project.Good luck,hope to see it completed.

[John Goschke]

Looking good! Keep building it up and sandin' it down to get it slick!

[Ramfins59]

That's looking good Ferby.

[Chris Evans]

Awesome dude what motor you running

Chris,

[espo]

The body lines really flow well. I have been told this body style top is hard to chop and have the rear side windows look right. Yours look perfect.  

[Ferbz]

Awesome dude what motor you running

Chris,

Thanks Chris! I'm attempting a period piece with this one. There were a bunch of chopped/sectioned 39/40 Ford customs built in the early post war period of the late 40's/early 50's and many of them had hopped up flatheads just like the hot rods of the day. So in keeping with the theme I have going, I'll build a flathead with all the traditional hop up parts available at that time: finned heads, multi-carb intake, etc. I'll try to detail with wiring/plumbing, etc. 

[Chris Evans]

Cool dude that's what I figured you would do. I am going to need a flathead engine I plan on building a old coupe or sedan and I will need a flathead, keep a eye out bro thanks.

Chris,

[Ferbz]

The body lines really flow well. I have been told this body style top is hard to chop and have the rear side windows look right. Yours look perfect.  

Thanks! It is tough to get this top to look right. I think mostly because the top is so small and so round. In my eyes, I still don't have it quite right but it's close enough!  

I tried my best with this project to have a keen eye about proportion and fixing some of the odd things(in my opinion)about this body style. Included in the top chop is the slight leaning back of the A pillars(the factory angle of the windshield looks too vertical to me). I also reduced the height of the windshield opening by filling it at the top(the factory windshield also looks too tall to me. Chopping the top alone doesn't fix this). Check out the attached image: 

[Ferbz]

Oh man this looks cool, I like the old school approach that you are going with this. Can't wait to see what suspension and engine your going to go with. Keep it going.?

Thanks! This one will be old school all the way It'll be a period piece: late 40's post war custom with hopped up flathead and factory chassis, single stage color for the body, etc.

[Chris Evans]

You are the man I helped a guy chop a 50 todor sedan all the angels it's not easy at all and you can mess up big time if not careful. Kudos to you bro.

Chris,

[Modlbldr]

Looks nice! I like how you sectioned yours.Very old school look. I always hated chopping these until I did my latest one. Looks very similar but I think mine is a bit lower.

Keep it up. I'll be watching to see how it turns out.

Later- 

Edited May 31, 2016 by Modlbldr

[Intmd8r]

Looks great!

[espo]

Thanks! It is tough to get this top to look right. I think mostly because the top is so small and so round. In my eyes, I still don't have it quite right but it's close enough!  

I tried my best with this project to have a keen eye about proportion and fixing some of the odd things(in my opinion)about this body style. Included in the top chop is the slight leaning back of the A pillars(the factory angle of the windshield looks too vertical to me). I also reduced the height of the windshield opening by filling it at the top(the factory windshield also looks too tall to me. Chopping the top alone doesn't fix this). Check out the attached image: 

Thank you for the additional photo of how you chopped the top. I knew it was difficult but just never realized how many cuts had to be made to achieve the proper proportions.  

[crazyrichard]

nice !

[DrKerry]

Chop looks good, 39 40 Fords are hard to pull off and have them look right!!!!! Ya did good!!!!!

[Ferbz]

Thank you for the additional photo of how you chopped the top. I knew it was difficult but just never realized how many cuts had to be made to achieve the proper proportions.  

You're welcome. It's one of the progress shots of how I added the inner lip for the windshield glass to mount to(an idea I got from Steve Boutte). There are better pics of the chop in my previous post of this project. It's not too different from how others have done it successfully out there. One difference I think is the windshield being laid back and glass opening reduced. BTW, in hindsight I would have chopped it just a tad more to give a better 1:2 height proportion of the top to body. No turning back now!

[misterNNL]

For those interested you can find exact diagrams with dimensions for slicing and diceing this '39/'40 Ford coupes by searching on line.